Go Your Own Way
by Caroline Morrison
Summary: This is set to take place in August after graduation. Rachel and Finn have been together since "New York" However, Rachel is going to New York with Kurt, and Finn is staying Lima. Finchel/St.Berry
1. Chapter 1

This is set to take place in August after graduation. Rachel and Finn have been together since "New York" However, Rachel is going to New York with Kurt, and Finn is staying Lima.

"Rachel, don't be mad." Finn said, sitting down on the edge of my bed, playing with a stuffed animal. "I'm not!" I say sitting on my suitcase trying to buckle it.

He tossed the rabbit down on the bed. "It's just with you going to New York, and me being. . . "

"Finn. I get it. Ok? Can you help me buckle this?"

"Hello Gorgeous!" Kurt called from downstairs.

"Be right down! I call.

"Rachel. Look at me." Finn says standing up. I look up at him and he sighs. "I still love you".

I pull my bag out into the hall. "I'm leaving Finn."

The plane ride to New York was surprisingly quiet even with Kurt aboard. The sunny August weather felt good on my shoulders after the artic chill of the plane. "Can you believe it?" Kurt asks spinning taking in a 360 view. "Everything we dreamed for the past four years."

The air smelled of exhaust, hot dogs, and asphalt, so much different than the earthy smells of Lima. As we walked through central Park I reminiscence on junior year when Finn and I had a date here. "And we have a two p.m. audition for Spring Awakening tomorrow." Kurt babbled on. I sighed. Kurt took my hand. "I know you miss him. He misses you. Mom says he's just moped around and hasn't even changed out of his sweats since we left."

"It's his choice. It's time to move on." I say, patting his hand. Kurt threw his arms up in the air. "Good because we're in NEW YORK CITY! Anything could happen. ANYTHING!"

The next day. . .

"Kurt Hummel?" Kurt and I linked pinkies. "Wish me luck" he called, as he followed the thin lady with black plastic framed cat's eye glasses.

I read and reread my script. I couldn't believe I was here. Auditioning for my first Broadway roll ever. I paced back and forth in the corridor.  
>"Rachel?" The velveteen voice stopped me dead in my tracks. "Rachel is that you?"<p>

I looked up and saw him standing there. "Jesse?"


	2. Chapter 2

"What are you doing here?" I asked trying to catch my breath. His deep brown eyes dug into my soul flooding us with memories or us. He smiled coyly. "Spring Awakening is my favorite musical. I would kill myself if I didn't audition for the part of Melchior."

"It's my favorite too!" I said a smile creeping across my face.

"You're auditioning for Wendla right?" he asks.

I nodded. "But after seeing all these talented actresses. . ."

He grabbed my hand. "You can do it."

"Why hello Jesse St. Satan. . . I mean " Kurt said strolling in.

"Kris right?" Jesse said smugly.

Kurt put his hand on his hip. "Kurt. You may know my step brother, Rachel's boyfriend Finn?"

Jesse's face fell a little.

"We. . .We broke up" I interjected. Kurt shoots me a look and I roll my eyes at him.

"Really? He's crazy to let go of you." Jesse said still holding my hand.

"Jesse ?" The thin lady called. He dropped my hand. "Well gotta go. Hey will you wait for me? I'll get your number and address and stuff.

I smiled. "Okay."

As soon as Jesse rounded the corner Kurt tore into me. "Do you not remember Jesse LIED to you? He EGGED you Rachel! Are you crazy?"

I picked up my script. "It's New York. Remember, anything can happen!"


	3. Chapter 3

"I like it" Jesse said, stepping into the apartment. "It's quaint."

Kurt sneered at him. I give Kurt a look. "Have a seat!"

"I'm going to my room." Kurt said sashaying down the hall in true diva style. He was so over dramatic.

"Rachel, I've missed you so much." Jesse said twirling a strand of my hair.

I laughed. "You could have anyone on Broadway. Why on earth would you miss me?"

"Because there's only one star for me. Rachel Berry." He cupped my face and kissed me. I ran my hands through his hair kissing back as strong as I could. My hands on auto pilot spread down the nape of his neck, down to his shoulders, searching for the small cresent shaped scar. All I got in return was smooth perfection. My hand froze. I wouldn't find that scar. That scar belonged to Finn. I broke apart the kiss.

"Wha, wwhats a matter?" Jesse said breathlessly. "Something wrong?"

Finn's face flashed across my mind. "No" I said pulling him back in.

Kurt ran out of his room wielding his i pad. "RACHEL! YOU NEED TO SEE THIS!"

The i pad was opened to an email titled "official Spring Awakening call backs 2012". I scanned the list. There were three names under "Wendla". One of them mine! I squealed with delight.

"And I got a call back too!" Kurt said thrusting his finger at his name on the list.

Jesse was busy on his phone. "I got one too!" I hugged Jesse tight.

Kurt was on his phone relaying the news to Burt and Carole. "And Rachel got a call back too!" He eyed me out of the corner of his eye. "Yes, hold on a minute." He handed me the phone. "Rachel, it's for you."

"Hello?" I said, speaking into Kurt's tiny white phone.

"Congrats Rachel! I knew you could do it." Finn's voice sounded through the phone.

My heart sank. No matter how bad he had hurt me; his voice still melted my heart. "Thanks Finn."

"Rachel, Let's go celebrate!" Jesse shouted in the background.

Finn laughed. "Who's that?"

"Jesse." I replied.

The phone became silent.


	4. Chapter 4

"Explain to me again why I'm going on a date with Santana?" Finn asked, sliding into Puck's car.

"Because Rachel doesn't like her." Puck said gunning his engine.

"But I don't want to make her mad. I . . .I still. . ."

"Look. Quit being such a chick. Chick's don't dig that touchy feely I'm so emotional vibe. She's in New York, cuddled up next to Jesse singing show tunes. Santana is here, single-ish, and loves going to Breadstix."

Finn shook his head.

Puck smiled, and playful punched Finn's arm. "It'll be ok. Besides how am I gonna get my Puck on with Quinn with Santana hanging around?"

Quinn , Brittany, and Santana were sitting in a booth already when they got there.

"Thank god!" Quinn whispered "Santana was going to get us kicked out."

"Shut it tubbers. I love me some breadstix." Santana said dumping the basket of breadsticks into her purse.

"What is Brittany doing here?" Puck asked glancing at the tall blond squished between Finn and Santana.

Santana snorted. "She's here to meet her internet boyfriend."

"Ooh! There he is!" Brittany cried out, trying to climb over Finn.

"Brittany!" Quinn hissed, "He's like twelve years old! That can't be him!"

"David?" Brittany called.

The freckle faced kid smiled. "Brittany?"

Xxx

The awkward dinner was winding to an end. "I love gum too!" Brittany said, leaning in toward David. He flashed her a giddy smile, revealing a mouth full of shiny metal braces. Quinn and Puck were cuddled together in one end of the booth, giggling and whispering softly.

Santana sat staring at Finn."Ok Finnessa, pay for my dinner so I can make out with you and get this over with."

Finn did a double take. " No, Actually I should be going. I didn't want to. . ."

Puck shot Finn an evil look.

"We could go hang out in the car?" Finn suggested awkwardly throwing down the money to cover his and Santana's bill.

"Hudson I didn't think you had it in you!" Santana winked.

XXX

"This was not what I was thinking of when you asked me to hang out in the car." Santana said crossing her arms. "You know you didn't have to sit in the back seat."

Finn laid back on the seat. "It's cool this way. I like the way the radio sounds back here."

The car was silent except for the radio. "It's Berry isn't it. I can't believe I'm being snubbed because of her." Santana rolled her eyes.

Just then Brittany appeared at the window, crying. "Santana! Walk me home? David broke my heart."

Santana opened the car door. "What?"

Brittany and her linked pinky fingers and walked away, Brittany sobbing about being too old. Finn closed his eyes, imaging the night if Rachel had been there.

XXX

"Hey Finn how'd it go?" his mom asked as he walked in the door.

"Who'd Puck set you up with?" Burt called from the other room.  
>Finn walked into the den. "Santana Lopez."<p>

"She's. . .. Pretty." His mom said biting her tongue.

"Go ahead and say it. She's not Rachel. Her hair doesn't smell like apples. She doesn't wear adorkable knee socks. She doesn't send me cookie bouquets every Thursday."

"I do miss those cookies." Burt said nodding.

"I miss her."

"Why don't you tell her?" his mom said, sitting on the arm of Burt's chair.

"She's with Jesse! Jesse !" Finn said flopping himself down on the old beat up recliner chair that used to be his dad's.

"Well Finn honey you broke up with her. She's free to do what she wants."

"But why would she want Jesse? When he broke her heart who was there to pick up the pieces? ME. I loved her. I. . . I still love her."

Carol Hummel smiled. "Took you long enough. We all knew you did."

Finn put his head in his hands. "But how do I get her back?"

Burt and Carol smiled. "I heard Blaine's taking a little trip up there to see Kurt on opening night."

Finn smiled.


	5. Chapter 5

"Platinum huh? Not even married to her and Rachel's ruining your credit." Blaine said studying Finn's credit card.

Finn snatched it away from him. "It's the only way I could afford two tickets to Spring Awakening."

Blaine smiled. "You really love her don't you?"

A smile lit up across Finn's face. "More than she'll ever know."

"WELCOME TO NEW YORK!" Blaine sang out reading the sign.

XXX

"Flower delivery!" the man called out knocking on Rachel's dressing room door. She opened it to find a small vase of daisies and a simple pink bow. She sat the vase down nest to the extravagant three dozen red roses Jesse had sent her earlier. He had been so good to her since she had been in New York. She picked up the card to read it when the stage manager knocked on her door. "Show time!" She stuffed the card into the bouquet and ran out.

The bright stage lights burnt into Rachel's skin. She felt a slight flutter in her belly as she realized behind the thick red velvet curtain sat a theater full of people. She was on a stage. A Broadway stage. She had made it. She glanced at Jesse, who was getting fitted with his microphone. Leaving Finn had felt like such a mistake. Standing here now, next to Jesse, it felt right. Jesse understood her; he knew the thrill of singing, the devotion it took to be where they were. Something Finn could never understand. One question burned in the back of her mind. If this was so _right_ why did she feel so _wrong_?

"Places!" The stage manager called. Jesse came and embraced Rachel for their opening scene.

"Thanks for the daisies." Rachel chirped, placing her hand on his chest.

"Daisies? I'm appalled. I only send the best. I only sent you roses. Why would I send you daisies?"

"Because they're my favorite." Rachel whispered as the curtain went up.


End file.
